Pneumatic-despatch system.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

K. E. STUART. PNEUMATIG DESPATGH SYSTEM APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 10. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

- WWNHN \WNN E EN MN UNITED STATES Patented November 24, 1903.

PATENT EE CE.

PNEUMATlC-DESPATCl-l SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,814, dated November24, 1903. Application filed June 10,1902. Serial No. ll 0,972- (Nomodel.)

1 i -9 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, KENNETH E. STUART, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic-Despatch Systems, of which the following is a true and exactdescription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part thereof.

My invention relates to pneumaticdespatch systems embodying two or morestations each equipped with directing mechanism whereby an approachingcarrier is directed into one of two alternative paths, one of whichcarries it to the next succeeding station and in which selectivemechanism connected with the carrier operating upon selective mechanismsituated at the respective stations determines the path to be traveledby said carrier; and the object of my invention is to provide a novelconstruction of the selective devices whereby their range of operationis materially increased.

More particularly myinvention is adapted for use in connection with andwith a view of increasing the range of operation of selective mechanismdescribedin my former ap' plication,,filed January 27, 1902, Serial No.91,312, in which each station is provided with a movable barrierextending into the path of the carriers and adapted in accordance withthe operation of the selective mechanism either to yield to the impactof the carrier, permitting it to pass beyond the point at which thebarrier is interposed, or, in the alternative, to remain in position,preventing the passage of the carrier and causing it to be deflectedinto the alternate path provided. In my said former application I showedand described in connection with barriers selective latching deviceswhichin one position locked the barrier in position and in anotherposition unlocked it, permitting it to be pushed out of the way by thecarrier, these selective latching devices including fingers whichproject in front of the barrier to varying distances, so as to beengaged and operated by carriers having selective heads of a certaincharacter, while with other carriers having differently-formed selectiveheads the said fingers were not engaged and the latching mechanism notoperated.

My present invention consists in so constructing the latching devicesand their fingers that the said fingers will in addition to 1 extendingto varying distances in front of the barrier extend also into the pathof the caririers at varying distances from the center of the tube and inso constructing the selective iheads of the carrier as to provide themwith circular engaging faces of varying depths and diameters, in thisway and by the counbination of the two selective systems greatlyincreasing the range of selective operation and the possible number ofstations among which the selection can be exercised.

Reference being now had to the drawings, in which my invention isillustrated, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of apneumatic-despatch system equipped in accordance with my invention.Figs. 2, 3, 4., and 5 are plan views of carriers adapted for use inconnection with my system and embodying my invention, and Figs. 6, 7,and 8 are views illustrating the selective constructions of the latchingdevices.

A, A, A A and A are a series of tubesections connecting a series ofintermediate stations (indicated at B, B B and 13') with a terminaldespatching and receiving station, (indicated at 13,) 0 indicating theopen end of the tube A, into which carriers are inserted at the centralstation, D D, &c., indicating the intermediate station-heads, which, asshown, are constructed in accordance with the devices described in mybefore-mentioned prior application, the incoming tube connecting with anarm D of the head, which directs the carrier over a curved surface D anddirectly into an outlet-opening, (indicated at D the head being providedbelow said outlet-opening with a receiving-hopper D, which connects withthe next succeeding tube-section. The outlet-opening D as shown, isclosed by a gate or barrier E, which is hinged to the head at E and haspivoted upon it at E a lever having arms E E the arm E extending throughan opening in the gate and forming the selective fingers upon which thecarriers operate, while the arm E is arranged in relation to a stop F,preferably elastic, so that in one position it will engage said stop andprevent the opening of the gate, while in another position it will befree to move past the stop, permitting the gate to open under the impactof a carrier.

The end or finger of the lever-arm E in my former construction extendedto varying distances in front of the barrier or gate, as shown, forinstance, in Figs. 6 and 7, and my present invention consists, mainly,in providing also for the extension of the finger E into the tube infront of the barrier at varying distances from the center of the tube,as is clearly indicated, for instance, by contrasting Figs. 6 and 7, inwhich the fingers are in the center line of the tube, with Fig. 8, whichillustrates the finger as extending into the tube at some distance fromthe center.

G G, &c.,indicate the annulus at each station for the insertion ofcarriers, H H, &c., indicating the gates which normally close theannulus.

I is the head of the final receivingstation, 1 indicating theoutlet-passage for the carriers, and J the conduit connecting the finalreceivingstation with an exhaust fan 0 chamber.

K, K, K and K illustrate the construction of selective heads adapted foruse in connection with my invention and are simply given as typical, asthe heads can obviously be varied through a very considerable range ofconstruction. Thus in case of the carrier K (shown in Fig. 2) the headis provided with a shallow central orifice, (indicated at L,) while theother head (indicated at 70 is provided with a deeper central orifice(indicated at L) surrounded by a more shallow orifice, (indicated at LThe carrier K (shown in Fig. 3) is provided withone head,7c having noorifice, while its other head is identical with the head 70 of thecarrier K and is similarly marked. In the case of the carrier K (shownin Fig. 4) it is provided with one head, k having a central projectingportion L, surrounded by an annular chamber L while its other head, 70is formed with a broad shallow cavity, (indicated at L The carrier K(shown in Fig. 5) has one head, 70, provided with a broad shallow cavityL and its other actuating the unlatching mechanism nntilit reaches thestation where it is designed for delivery and Where it will come incontact with the determined selective lever-finger E unlatching the gateand permitting the exit of the carrier.

In all cases in the construction illustrated the carrier comes incontact with the barriergate; but in case the selective head has notacted upon the lever-finger E the gate remains closed and the carrierhas its motion arranged so that it will fall into the hopper D, but inreverse direction, turning end for end at each station at which it isdelivered until, reaching the station arranged in advance, it engagesand depresses the lever-finger E permitting the exit of the carrier.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In a pneumatic-despatch system including two or more stations havingselective mechanism adapted to be actuated by selective heads on thecarriers for determining the course of the carriers atsaid stations, thecombination of selective fingers forming part of said mechanism andextendinginto the tube in the path of the carriers to varying distancesand at varying distances from the center of said tube with a system ofcarriers having selective heads formed with circular finger-engagingfaces of varying depth and of varying diameters.

KENNETH E. STUART.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. MYERs, D. STEWART.

